Trump pardons Turkey on Thanksgiving

US President Trump has taken the Thanksgiving tradition to the next level, literally pardoning the country Turkey for its rising nationalism under Erdogan.

It is tradition for the American president to pardon a turkey on Thanksgiving, a public ceremony at the White House that spares one particular bird from being turned into dinner.

This Thanksgiving however, Trump gathered the press in the White House and announced that he would spare the country Turkey from any retaliation for its role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as other nationalist actions under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The strongman President Erdogan has long been admired by Trump, but he said this Thanksgiving was an opportunity to make it official.

“I hereby pardon this Turkey and release it from any fault or wrongdoing,” Trump said.

It was unclear whether he realised the president was meant to pardon a bird and not the country, although right after pardoning Erdogan he turned to a waiting turkey, looking hungry.

Trump also pardoned Saudi Arabia, North Korea and several other unlikely countries that are now apparently admirable and can be excused from all crimes.